Hanwha Defense Secures Record-Breaking Export Agreement for K9 Self-Propelled Howitzers with Egypt
Hanwha Defense entered into an agreement on February 1 to supply a suite of self-propelled howitzers along with its auxiliary vehicles to the Egyptian Armed Forces.
The agreement is estimated at approximately $1.7 billion for numerous units of the K9 Self-Propelled Howitzer (SPH), K10 Ammunition Resupply Vehicles, and K11 Fire Direction Control Vehicle. This transaction marks the largest magnitude in the trade of the K9 artillery system, which has already been embraced by eight nations worldwide.
A ceremonial signing took place at Artillery House in Cairo, with prominent officials from both nations present. Among the Egyptian representatives are Colonel General Mohamed Zaki, Minister of Defense; Major General Mohamed Morsi, Minister of Military Production; Staff Major General Osama Ezzat, Head of the Armament Authority; and Staff Major General Ayman Waafai, Chief of
Artillery Department. South Korean officials included Mr. Son Jae-il, President & CEO of Hanwha Defense; Mr. Kang Eun-ho, head of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration; and South Korean Ambassador to Egypt, Hong Jin-wook.
In accordance with the agreement, Hanwha Defense is set to deliver the initial batch of K9A1 EGYs prior to 2025, with the remaining units to be fabricated at the state-owned Military Factory 200 in Egypt through technology transfer. Furthermore, Hanwha Defense is dedicated to offering an array of support initiatives, such as user training and organizational/field/depot maintenance.
Notably, this latest K9 transaction signifies the inaugural export of a naval K9 variant, showcasing the tracked artillery’s adaptable operational capabilities. The Egyptian Navy has long aimed to procure the K9 as an anti-access/area denial system, and the K9 successfully validated its access denial proficiency by accurately targeting at sea during assessments in 2017.
Engineered in 1998 by the state-run Agency for Defense Development (ADD) alongside Hanwha Defense, the K9 SPH represents South Korea’s premier weapon systems, enjoying a leading stance in the global SPH market.
Since 2001, the K9 solution has been embraced by seven countries — Turkey, Poland, India, Finland, Norway, Estonia, and Australia — through various contracts including the supply of finished products, technology transfer, and local production, all tailored to fulfill the specific needs of client nations.
With Egypt’s acquisition of the K9, the K9 User Community will be expanded to include nine nations, further reinforcing its status as the dominant force in the global SPH market.
“The recent agreement with Egypt is momentous as Hanwha Defense has successfully navigated into Africa for the first time with the K9, acclaimed as the world’s finest self-propelled howitzer, amidst the burgeoning partnership between South Korea and Egypt,” stated
Son Jae-il, CEO and President of Hanwha Defense. “We pledge our utmost commitment to ensure the K9A1 EGY initiative flourishes as a model case of bilateral collaboration.”
“Rooted in mutual trust and comprehension, we will apply our full efforts not only to enhance the defense capabilities of the Egyptian Armed Forces but also to bolster the local industrial base,” Son remarked, adding that the K9A1 EGY would be promoted in additional nations.
The K9 is outfitted with a 155mm/52-calibre gun engineered to align with the tactical premise of “Shoot & Scoot.” In simpler terms, Shoot & Scoot refers to a strategy where the artillery unit relocates to a firing position, executes a mission, and vacates the site before a counteraction can occur from adversaries.
The 47-ton artillery piece boasts a firing range of 40 kilometers and can travel at speeds of up to 67 kilometers per hour. Equipped with an automatic fire control system, the howitzer can fire within 30 seconds from a static location and 60 seconds while mobile, achieving a maximum firing rate of six to eight rounds per minute.
The K10 Ammunition Resupply Vehicle is recognized as the world’s foremost automated robotic ammunition carrier functioning in tandem with the K9. This vehicle can transport a total of 104 rounds while maintaining similar mobility as the K9.
The K11 Fire Direction Control Vehicle is a novel unit to be developed for the Egyptian military. Utilizing the K9 chassis, the command-post vehicle will be integrated with a variety of advanced sensor and communication technology in line with the operational demands of the Egyptian Army and Navy.
